do not judge a book by its cover

Claimed by the Arrogant Alpha

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Chapter 6: do not judge a book by its cover

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Jessica wrapped her arms around herself as a chilly breeze whipped through the air, slapping her face and causing her to inhale sharply.

Winter was almost here and Jessica was looking forward to it. She loved snuggling into warm blankets, sipping on steaming tea, taking long baths; she loved how the warmth contrasted against the cold.

Jessica smiled lazily.

She stepped around trees with practiced ease as she made her way to her own little clearing. That sense of loneliness from last night had dulled but it was still very much present, almost as if it was just waiting for the right moment to strike when Jessica was the most vulnerable.

She found it counter-intuitive that she would decide to isolate herself further by going to her private place, but for some reason it felt less suffocating to be physically alone than being surrounded by people who only seemed to worsen the feeling.

Jessica rubbed her forehead, confounded with herself and much too tired to try figure it out.

She stepped into the clearing and stopped, eyes widening in surprise and heart rate accelerating. She flinched and was tempted to turn back, pretend she was never there, but then annoyance flared up inside her because this was Jessica’s spot.

What was he doing here?

Besides, she had questions to ask this Kai and she wasn’t going to let him scare her off.

Jessica swallowed thickly and slowly approached the Alpha. He was lying down on the grass, one arm thrown across his eyes and the other resting on his stomach.

His legs were slightly bent at the knees and the auburn strands of his hair were splayed across blades of grass.

Jessica opened and closed her mouth, not sure how to alert him of her presence – which, to be honest, he probably already sensed now anyway.

Kai looked contented; his mouth was closed and relaxed, his breathing even.

Was he asleep?

His wolf dropped down, head between his paws, eyes adoring. Jessica felt a small twinge of guilt.

He looks so peaceful maybe I should just -

“Are you going to stand there all afternoon?” Kai broke the silence.

He lifted his arm away and sat up, tilting his head back to look up at Jessica.

He sounded impassive and Jessica wished that he would speak with a bit of emotion. Even irritation or anger would be appreciated – it would just make understanding Kai easier.

Jessica couldn’t tell where he stood with her; she couldn’t tell if Kai minded her presence, if he liked her like Tasha believed, if he really was shy.

“This is my spot,” Jessica answered dumbly, fingers twisting together, hoping her tone hadn’t been accusatory and then a part of her hoping it did.

As soon as Kai had looked at her, all the courage she had mustered to interrogate him had dissipated, reduced to nothing but nerves by the blend of cinnamon and coffee eyes.

Kai squinted as the sun moved from behind a cloud and light filtered in through the trees, leaves beginning to fall off.

“Then sit down.”

Jessica blinked, once again mind trying to analyse his tone, his words, his expression.

Kai was unreadable.

She sat down slowly and Kai resumed his previous position as if uncaring of her presence. Jessica sat awkwardly beside him, a flurry of happiness and a dash of tenseness forming.

She hugged her knees to her chest, resting her chin on top. “What are you doing here?”. She mumbled finally.

Kai didn’t open his eyes, and Jessica preferred that he didn’t. His ardent gaze only drew Jessica in and distracted her from what she was really feeling, what she was supposed to be feeling.

“I like it here.”

Jessica bit her lip and another passing wind filled her senses with the beautiful smell that was Chadwick Kai.

God, she hadn’t even noticed it until now, so taken with how ethereal Kai looked in the grass, light shining on his honey-coloured skin.

Like this, he appeared gentle and sweet; so very un-Alpha.

“You’re from the city,” Jessica mumbled and when Kai remained silent, she decided it was okay to continue. “Why did you come all the way here?”

The corner of Kai’s lips raised into an almost half smile. He made a sort of dismissing motion with his hand and Jessica was strangely mesmerized by the long, slim fingers as sunlight peeked through.

“Last year I went to popular urban areas. I don’t know; it didn’t feel right. So, we picked places far away for a change, more or less.”

Does here feel right?

Jessica was silently pleading for Kai to say something, anything, to suggest that he recognised her as a potential mate.

He didn’t.

Jessica felt like a rock sunk in her stomach and tried another way to coax the answer out.

“Do you worry you won’t find your mate?”.

Say it.

“No. Not really,” Kai replied flatly.

From the way he reacted, Jessica had a feeling she had gotten her answer.

Whatever happened last night must have meant nothing.

Kai had been playing around, joking.

Jessica’s wolf curled around herself.

“Did you come here yesterday?”.

Kai’s eyes fluttered open and he raised his upper body slightly, propping up into his elbow.

His stare was smouldering and yet so vacant. So hollow.

“I passed through. After I swam.”

“You do realise it’s almost winter,” Jessica muttered under her breath.

“Yes, I do realise,” Kai retorted, slightly defensive, but then his voice returned to its usual indifference. “I felt like it.”

“Idiot,” Jessica mumbled before she realised what she said and who she was talking to.

Her voice caught in her throat and she blinked at the ground, suddenly feeling very exposed. “I mean… because it’s so cold. You could’ve gotten sick.” Jessica raised her gaze to look at Kai who maybe had a ghost of a grin.

Even that was transfixing.

Kai hummed and then dropped his head back to look at the sky, feeling the sun on his face.

Jessica perhaps lingered too long looking at his sharp jawline, his Adam’s apple, his smooth neck. She turned crimson and snapped her attention away when Kai languidly faced her.

Everything about Kai was smooth and confident, and Jessica was hasty and restless. It made her feel even smaller in comparison, as if their gap in status wasn’t enough.

Kai chuckled. It was in the back of his throat and lasted only for a second.

But Jessica heard and it was enough to make her feel lightheaded.

“Am I really that attractive? You stare at me a lot.”

Jessica wanted to disappear.

Of course he had to point it out.

Gosh, and so bluntly too.

“Get over yourself.” She felt apprehension come as the words left her mouth, realising again that perhaps she spoke too casually, too rudely.

Kai was an Alpha and he could dominate her in a second if he wanted to. As much as Jessica fought, it would be in vain.

“For an Omega, you’re very brazen,” Kai simply replied, not appearing affected by her words at all.

He seemed to just shrug it off.

Jessica frowned despite the relief. “We’re individuals, you know. I’m not just some Omega.”

“Sorry,” Kai said and his eyes even seemed a bit apologetic, not that Jessica was very good at reading into these things.

His apology had stunned Jessica. Kai said it so easily, and sincerely. There was no trace of sarcasm or bitterness.

She sighed and felt a twinge of guilt.

Who was she to talk?

She grouped Betas and Alphas and sometimes judged them unfairly based on stereotypes too.

Hadn’t he done that about Kai multiple times already?

“It’s okay. I suppose I do it too,” She admitted and Kai looked at her and his lips quirked into that crooked smile.

Beautifully dangerous.

He didn’t look smug or hold it against Jessica. He didn’t react how Jessica thought he would.

“Anyway, Omegas shouldn’t be afraid to speak out. I think them feeling all scared that they’ll be punished or something is twisted,” Kai began and Jessica was drawn in by his words.

Kai grimaced towards the tree branches above. “Relationships between Alphas and Omegas shouldn’t be built on obedience and compliance – it should be based on respect.”

“Relationships?”. Jessica repeated before she mentally berated himself.

There are many different types of relationships!

She swore Kai’s cheeks tinted with pale pink.

Jessica smiled into her knees at Kai’s opinion.

‘I misjudged him. I really misjudged him.’

Her wolf looked boastful. “I agree.”

Kai closed his eyes, going back to looking peaceful. “What do you do here in this town?” He changed the topic easily.

Jessica chewed on her lip. “Uh, well, there’s a cinema, parks, library, small gaming arcade. We meet up at cafes and talk. Normal stuff like that.”

“Yeah, but what do you do?” Kai specified. “Like your job?”

“Oh,” Jessica let out an embarrassed sound. “I teach contemporary dance.”

Her eyes flickered to Kai, wondering if Kai was judging him, after all, he was the heir to an incredibly powerful corporation.

She hoped not – Jessica was proud of what she did. She loved dancing, it was her passion; she couldn’t possibly see herself doing anything else (except maybe becoming a professional dancer or choreographer, perhaps).

“What about you?”.

Kai exhaled deeply. “I sign a few documents, attend a few meetings, that sort of thing.”

Jessica rolled her eyes and said flatly, “Aren’t you going to be CEO of your own company one day?”

“Ah, so you already knew what I did,” Kai mumbled, half-smiling. “Why did you ask then?”

“I was showing interest,” Jessica grumbled and picked up a stray leaf, throwing it in his general direction.

It didn’t go far – swaying in the air before floating down a few inches from Kai’s hand lying in the grass.

From there, they continued to ask simple questions to each other, talking about everyday, mundane topics, yet it sounded so entertaining and interesting.

Jessica finally understood that saying ‘everything and nothing.’

“Why do you come here?” Kai spoke after a brief pause, falling silent to listen to a bird sing. He turned his head towards Jessica, those dark eyes curious.

Jessica cleared her throat.

She didn’t expect the conversation to turn this way, especially when she didn’t have a logical answer. She realised she hadn’t even asked what she’d been wanting to ask him.

She hugged her knees closer. “I like having my own space. To clear my head, I guess. It makes me feel better,” She replied.

From the corner of his eye, Kai sat up a little. “About what?” His tone changed colour – it was bolder, more vibrant.

“Huh?” Jessica breathed, because she couldn’t think of anything else to say, distracted by the change in demeanour.

“Makes you feel better about what?” Kai repeated, sounding impatient.

Jessica blushed and stared at her hands.

Why do you care?

Yet Jessica felt her heart clench and she wanted to tell Kai. She felt like it was okay to tell him, like it was safe to.

The words slipped out of her mouth, quiet and uncertain, self-conscious and embarrassed.

But most of all, desperate and hurt.

“About being alone.”

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TBC